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28th January 2021
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Shabby kitchens and bathrooms are biggest bugbear for tenants
A survey of the private rental market, by popular shower and tapware brand Methven, has revealed that poor quality fixtures and fittings are the biggest rental bugbear for tenants - and can cause them to leave their properties early.
Landlords are being urged to concentrate their efforts on improving kitchens and bathrooms if they want to keep their tenants happy, following the nationwide survey. Almost half (46%) those questioned said old and badly maintained kitchens and bathrooms are their biggest pet hate and would put them off a property.
The research revealed 32% of tenants have ended a tenancy early because of the poor condition of the property, with less than 10% claiming to be completely happy with the condition of their property.
And it seems landlords who fail to install eco measures could be missing a trick with more than three quarters of tenants saying that water and energy efficiency is very important to them.
Methven conducted the survey to discover what tenants are looking for in a rental property and found that while location still remains a high priority (30%), decor and quality fixtures were ranked as the most important influencer, with 33% claiming they are the deal-breaker.
Of the 1,000 people that were questioned, all of whom have lived in multiple rental properties, more than half (56%) rated the interior of standard rental properties as only average or poor and a third have ended tenancies because of the state of the property.
Other key learning highlighted by the report include:
- Only 10% of tenants would rate their rental properties as excellent
- 63% say the usual standard of bathrooms are only average or below, with 16% rating them as poor
- 53% say a good quality shower is a bathroom essential
- Communal areas are the least important property influencer
Steve Lee, CEO of Methven UK, says: "There is a growing demand for private rental properties and this therefore offers a great opportunity to landlords. Our survey demonstrates that tenants refuse to put up with below par conditions but by instigating a relatively small number of improvements and eco-efficient measures landlords could benefit from the long term financial security of having happy tenants.
"It is especially gratifying to see that tenants are keen on water and energy saving measures and we are working closely with a number of landlord groups and associations to offer them advice on installing cost effective solutions such as our Satinjet showers."
Richard Lambert, Chief Executive of the National Landlords Association (NLA), says: "It's essential that landlords meet their tenants' expectations. In a market where growing numbers of people are renting, and renting for longer, tenants expect high standards in both property and management. Good landlords will recognise this and ensure their properties are well presented and maintained throughout the duration of a tenancy.
"Tenants should look out for landlords who are members of a professional association, such as the NLA, when they are seeking new property as they are able to demonstrate their commitment to standards and take their obligations to their tenants very seriously."
22nd November 2013